Lamp adapter



Sept. 29, 1925.

s. e; HINCKLEYY LAMP ADAPTER Filed April 30, 1923 2 Shuts-Shari Sept. 29, 1925.

. 1,555,371 S. G. HINCKLEY LA"? ADAPTER Filed April 30, 1923 2 Sheets-Shari 'IIII'IIIIIIIA 'IIJJIIIIIIII.

II'IIIII"; "1,111,111.11,

Patented Sept. 29, 1925 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ILAMP ADAPTER.

Application filed April 30, 1923. Serial No. 635,735.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, STEPHEN G. HINCK LEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gladbrook, in the county of Tania and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lamp Adapters, of which the followin is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to lamp adapters, and more particularly to a device for adapting straight or slip base lamps to screw socket fittings.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be employed for adapting small slip base lamps to standard size screw base sockets, thereby permitting the use of the standard sockets in connection with circuits and bulbs of low Voltage.

At the present time in the rural districts many farmers are employing farm lighting systems consisting of a generator and storage battery system by means of which the lighting of the farm is accomplished. Failure of this system at the present time necessitates the use of lanterns and the like until the system can be repaired or the storage batteries thereof, which are the most common point of failure of the system, recharged. This invention contemplates the provision of an adapter whereby the storage battery of a car or an emergency storage battery of low voltage can be employed tem porarily to furnish light upon failure of this system.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device which will permit the use of the usual standard drop cords and the like with low voltage systems and bulbs.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an adapter of this character formed in two separable sections, one of which is adapted for engagement with a F small size slip base bulb and the other of which is adapted for engagement with a large size slip base bulb, the adapters being combinable so as to reduce an ordinary standard socket in size to permit the use of a small bulb.

These and other objects I accomplish by the construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings 2- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing an assembled adapter constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the primary adapter element;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the secondary adapter element;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken thiough the assembled adapter elementsf an Figure 5 is a side elevation partially in section showing the primary adapter element fitted with a bulb.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view through the small bulb adapter section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a standard male screw shell adapted for engagement in a standard screw socket 11. This shell has pressed or otherwise fitted interiorly thereof a straight conductor sleeve 12 preferably formed of brass and electrically and mechanically connected to the shell 10. The upper end of the sleeve 12 projects above the upper end of the shell 10 and is surrounded by a reinforcing sleeve 12 forced upon the outer surface of the sleeve 12 until its lower end abuts the upper end of the shell. The lower ends of the shell 10 are spun inwardly, as indicated at 18, so that the inner edge of the lower end projects interiorly of the inner face of the sleeve 12 and forms a seat for an insulatory disk 14 which is secured to the in-spun end of the shell 10 by means of securing elements 15 or the like.

The disk 14 has a central bore 16 through which is slidably directed a screw 17 the head 18 of which is downwardly directed and forms a central contact for engagement with the central contact 19 of the socket 11. The upper end of this screw has threaded engagement in a central socket 19 formed in the under face of an insulatory disk 20 mounted for sliding movement within the sleeve 12.

Mounted about the screw 17 against the lower face of the disk 20, is a combined contact washer and spring contact 21, the end of which projects through an opening 22 formed in the disk 20 and has its resilient terminal 21 arranged adjacent one side of the disk to form one contact for engagement with a contact of a double contact slip base bulb. Secured to the disk 14 and extending upwardly therefrom is a tube 23 which aligns with a threaded opening 24: formed in the disk at a point diametrically opposed to the resilient terminal 21 of the contact washer 21. The numeral 25 designates a substantially L-shaped contact, one arm of which is directed through a notch formed in the side ofthe disk 20 and has sliding contact with the sleeve .12, and the other arm of which is provided with an opening through which ascrew 26 may be extended. This screw is threaded through the opening and has its lower endslidably engaged in the upper end ofthetube 23. At diametrically opposed points the upper end of the sleeves 12 and 12" are provided with pin race slots 27 having en trance branches communicating with the slots centrally the slots being provided at the ends thereof with pin receiving coves 28 which are spaced 90 apart.

The shell 10 with its associated elements hereinbefore described constitutes an adapting element hereinafter referred to'as the adapting element A which will receive either a slip base bulb having a largebase, usually termed export bulbs, or a second adapting element B hereinafter to be described. In insertingeither of these elements into the adapter A the disk 20, which is normally pressed upwardly by a spring 29 surrounding the screw 17 between the contact washer 21 and the disk 14, will yield to permit the alignment of the pins of the element with the race slot and to permit rotation of the element to align the contacts thereof with the contacts 21 and 30, the latter constituting the head of the screw 26. When the pins of the engaged element are engaged with the slots at one end of the grooves 27, the contacts of the element will be spaced from the contacts 21 and 30 through 90 and when engaged with the coves 28 at the opposite ends of the slots, are engaged with these contacts to complete an electrical connection.

The adapter element B comprises a conductor sleeve 31 havingsecured in the lower end of the bore thereof, preferably by means of the contact pins 32 and 33 of the sleeve adapted for engagement in the slots 27 of the shell 10 an insulator-y plug 3% having a central bore The contact pins 52 and 33 are of different diameters and the slots 27 of the shell 10 are of different widths so that it is necessary to engage a given pin with a certain one ofthe slots 27. This is to insure the proper engagement of the contacts of the elements A and B hereinafter described. Seated in this bore from the lower end thereof and frictionally engaged therewith is the stem 36 of a contact 37 adapted to engage with the contact 21 of the adapter A. Slidably mounted within the sleeve 31 above the upper end of the plug 3% is a disk 38 in which is frictionally engaged the stem 39 of a spring contact t0. T he ste i1 339 of the contact 40 engages in a bore e1 formed in the stem 16 of the contact 37. A spring 42 extending between the end of the bore and the lower end oi? the stem 39 forces the stem and disk upwardly. The end portion of the contact 40 extends adjacent one side of the disk so that its extremity may be en gaged with one contact of a double contact bulb, or the central portion may be en gaged with the contact of a single contact bulb.

At a point diametrically opposed to the extremity of the contact 40 the disk 38 has an opening formed therein which aligns with a small bore it formed in the plug 3 Through the opening t3 and bore 44 a pin t?) is directed; the head 46 of which forms a second contact and is of sufiicient size to extend over the edges of the opening 43 and engage the disk 38.130 limit the up ward movement thereof. At its point of passage through the disk the pin is surrounded by a cup sleeve 17 slidably and electrically engaging the sleeve 31 and receiving the upper end of a spring 4-8 surrounding the pin, the spring having its lower end abutting the plug 34. The lower extremity of the pin 45 extends through the bottom of the plug 3a andhas secured thereto a retainingelement 49. It will be observed that the plug 34: limits the downward movement of the disk and the pin as by its head 46 and retaining element 49 limits the upward movement thereof.

The sleeve 31 is provided adjacent its upper end with a circumferential groove 50 in spaced relation to the upper end thereof. This groove is connected at diametrically opposed points with the upper end of the sleeve by means of vertically extending entrance grooves 51 permitting the entrance to the grooves 50 of the pins 52 of a stand ard slip base bulb. At points spaced 90 from the entrance grooves 51,the upper wall of the slot 50 is provided with diametrically opposed notches 53 forming coves for the reception of these pinsto maintain the bulb with its contacts in engagement with the contacts of the adapter B. This construction permits insertion and removal of the lamps by rotation thereof in the same direction and accordingly avoids all likelihood of backing out of contact of the adapter. It

will be noted that the disk 38 will yield to permit the insertion, removal or rotation of a bulb inserted in the adapter.

When it is desired to employ my device for connecting small slip base bulbs to an ordinary socket, the adapters A and B are joined together and the bulb inserted in the adapter B. Attention is directed to the fact that when the adapter B is in position within the adapter A and the adapter A screwed into the socket ll to bring the head 18 of the screw into engagement with the central contact 19 of the socket, movement of the disk 20 is effectually prevented and accordingly it is impossible to change the adapter from the on to the off position. This is due to the fact that in order for the adapter 13 to move from on to off positions, it is necessary that it shift longitudinally of the adapter A and toward the lower end of the adapter A. In so doing the shiftable disk 20 of the adapter A must likewise move toward the base and this is, of course, pre rented by the engagement of the head 18 with the contact 19 as shown in Figure l. It is only necessary, however, to unscrew the adapter A slightly to permit the necessary movement of the pin 23 from the cove 28 to the groove 27 where it may be shifted to the opposite position. It is pointed out that the adapter B may be arranged in off position and the adapter A screwed into the socket of the lighting circuit having the high voltage and it will be impossible to light the bulb carried by the adapter B without first unscrewing the adapter A sufficiently to permit shifting of the adapter B therein. This provides a mental check upon the user allowing time for thought as to whether or no the voltage of the circuit is high or low and at the same time permits of ready change of the adapter B whenever the light carried thereby is desired for emergency use upon a low voltage current supply.

From the foregoing it is believed to be obvious that an adapter constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended for the reason that it provides for the mounting of small slip base bulbs in standard sockets or for the mounting of the larger slip base bulbs in the sockets. It will furthermore be obvious that the construction of the adapter units as hereinbefore set forth is capable of some change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of my invention and I accordingly do not limit myself thereto except hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In an adapter socket, a shell, a pair of insulatory members within theshell, one of said members being held against movement with relation to the shell and the other thereof being shiftable longitudinally within the shell, contacts disposed upon remote faces of said stationary and shiftable members, an electrical connection between the contacts including a spring tending to separate the stationary and shiftable members,

and means limiting the separation of said members comprising a conductor slidably directed through said members and provided at its'end with a contact engaging the adjacent member to limit the movement thereof under influence of said spring the last named contact being electrically and slidably connected with the shell.

:2. In an adapter socket, a shell adapted at one end for engagement in a standard screw socket and at the other end for the reception of a base, a stationary insulatory disk secured in the first named end of the shell, a movable disk disposed within the shell and shiftable longitudinally thereof, a headed element slidably directed through the stationary disk and engaged with said movable disk, a contact carried by said headed element and extending through the movable disk, a spring surrounding the headed element intermediate said stationary and movable disks, means for preventing relative rotation of the disks comprising a tube carried by said stationary disk and directed toward said movable disk, and a screw extending through said movable disk and having its ends slidably engaged in said tube.

3. In an adapter socket, a shell adapted at one end for engagement in a standard screw socket and at the other end for the reception of a base, a stationary insulatory disk secured in the first named end of the shell, a movable disk disposed within the shell and shiftable longitudinally thereof, a headed element slidably directed through the stationary disk and engaged with said movable disk, a contact carried by said headed element and extending through the movable disk, a spring surrounding the headed element intermediate said stationary and movable disks, means for preventing relative rotation of the disks comprising a tube carried by said stationary disk and directed toward said movable disk, a screw extending through said movable disk and having its ends slidably engaged in said tube, and a second contact carried by the movable member and having slidable engagement with the shell, said second contact being main tained in position by said screw.

4:. In an adapter socket, a screw shell, a pair of insulatory disks, one of which is secured in the base of said shell and the other of which is shiftable within the shell, a contact member extended through the first named disk and engaged in the second named disk, and a spring tending to separate the disks, the contact member having a head limiting the separation of the disks, said head being adapted for engagement with the central contact of a standard screw socket and when fully engaged therewith preventing shifting of the movable disk.

5. An adapter of the type described comprising two sections, one adapted to be engaged in astandard screw socket-and the other adapted to be engaged in the first named section, the last named section being shiftable within the first named section to on and off positions and means carried by the first named section locking the last named section against movement from on tooff or off to on positions when the first named section is fully engaged in a standard socket. 6. .An adapter ot' the type described comprising two sections, one adapted to been gaged with a standard screw socket and-the other adapted to be engaged in the first named section, the last namedsection being rotatably shittablc within the first named section to on and off positions after a primary movement of the last named section within the first named section in a. direction longitudinally of the axis of the firstnamed section, the first and last named sections having coacting contacts in engagement when the last named section is in theion :position, a mounting for the contacts of the first named section shittable longitudinally of the first named section and means carried by saidmounting for engagement with the base of a standard socket when the first iamed section is fully engaged in said standird socket to prevent shifting of such mounting and to thereby prevent shifting of the last named section .in a direction longitudinally ofthe axisof the firstynamed section.

7. In an adapter for the purpose described, a pair'of adapter sections, one engageable inia standard socket, the other engageable inthe first named section and rotatably. shit'table therein from on to off positions after aprimarymovement of said second section wit-hinthe first'named sectionin .a direction longitudinally of the axis of the first named section,,the-first named adapter serted, said rigidcontact member when said first namedadapter section is fullyengaged in a standard socket holding the said shiftable portion against -movement to thereby prevent the primary longitudinal movement of the-last named adaptersection.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

STEPHEN G. HINCKLEY. 

